/the Macedonia Hotel, Chapter 11
The Macedonia Hotel
A NANOWRIMO
Relay writing project
By the Wayne writers Guild
Completed July 2016
The Macedonia Hotel
(This fictional piece is the product of a relay writing project by the Wayne Writer’s Guild In honor of NANOWRIMO-2015. Any resemblance to real events, people, places, or things is a coincidence and neither intended nor implied to be real and accurate.)
I extend my thanks and gratitude to the contributors who shared their time and talents to make this NANOWRIMO Relay Writing Project possible.
The individual chapters are the intellectual property of the author.
Special thanks are extended to John Cieslinski for his generous use of the book store’s back room.
–Kate Chamberlin, Coordinating Editor
July 20, 2016
Wayne Writers Guild
Meets at 7:30pm – 9:00pm, on the 2nd and 4th. Tuesday of each month
Books, Etc. of Macedon, NY
John Cieslinski, Owner
78 W. Main ST. Macedon NY 14502
Phone 585-474-4116
Chapter 11
The Mysterious Visitor
By C. A. Stahr
He appeared one afternoon. He wasn’t much observed. He was a quite ordinary man. One would not look twice in his direction. His clothing was out of fashion by any measure, a bit frayed and perhaps somewhat musty smelling. He wasn’t tall or short, thin or obese. His coloring was kind of a golden brown, like a Native American’s perhaps. His hair was long, but tidy – pulled back in what was called a ponytail and tied with a silver string that sparkled in the afternoon sunlight.
Well, actually, he was observed by one person – that was me. I was on the front desk. My shift had commenced at 1 o’clock and it had been a typically boring afternoon. Not much happened at the Macedonia until 8:00 or 9:00 o’clock in the evening. Ours is a pretty quiet town. I would describe it as “dull.” Anyway, I noticed the man because he was the only guest to arrive that afternoon and I was hungry for something to do.
He approached the front desk and requested a suite for a week’s stay. A suite, I chuckled, where did he think he was?
“The closest thing we have to a suite is a queen bedroom with a private bathroom,” I responded.
“Well then,” he said, “I suppose that will have to do young man” – he peered at my name tag and said: “Mr. Frank, that is. Is there someone to take my bags to my room?” he queried.
“That would be me,” I told him and accepted his trunk key to retrieve his bags.
When I returned to the lobby, the mysterious Mr. Wayne was nowhere to be seen. I shrugged and went about my business. What a strange man, I thought. He hadn’t stated his business in Macedon and I had neglected to ask.
Mr. Wayne returned a bit later and asked to speak with the Hotel Manager.
“Is there something I can help you with?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said. “You can tell the Hotel Manager I wish to speak with him.”
“Yes, sir,” I responded, somewhat put off by his officious manner.
As it happens, Ms Davis entered the lobby just as I was about to go in search of her. “Ms Davis,” I said softly. “This gentleman has requested a word with you.”
“But, of course. Will you come this way, Mr . . .?
“Wayne,” he supplied. “Thank you for taking the time to talk with me.
So off they went to the manager’s office. They were in there for some time and finally emerged, both in a somber mood, it seemed.
“Frankie,” Ms Davis instructed. “Please give Mr. Wayne a tour of our fine hotel. Take the pass keys and allow him to inspect anything he wishes.”
“Ah,” thought I. “Must be a Safety Inspector or a Zoning Inspector, or some kind of official. Boy, is he in for an eye full.”
Mr. Wayne looked in every nook and cranny of our hotel. He inspected the boiler room, not just the boiler, but every inch of the room. He instructed me to open every guest room and he actually entered every room, made notes, pulled back curtains, looked out windows, measured closets, and counted the number of rooms per bathroom on each floor.
Then we climbed to the attic level where all the unused furniture and stuff are kept. Now that is one hot and dusty place in the middle of August, I can tell you. We moved dusty furniture, pushed boxes and trunks around, measured windows and checked out lighting fixtures. He spent long minutes peering out the windows at the landscaping and the surrounding buildings. A funny duck was he. He uttered nary a word to me, only mumbled and hmmmm’d and whistled every once in a while. I sure was getting weary of this adventure, I can tell you.
“Next stop,” sang out Mr. Wayne, “the cupola room.”
Now, I’m no sissy, but I avoid the cupola room at all costs. I’m not afraid of much, but I don’t figure to meet up with any ghost if I can help it. However, since it was my job, I gingerly guided Mr. Wayne up the stairs to the cupola room. A rocking chair was rocking gently with a soft creak as we entered the room. There was no one in the room. The windows were closed and there was no draft. The room was dusty from unuse, but the chair continued to rock, back and forth, back and forth. I stood in the doorway, prepared for a quick retreat.
“Hmmm, fascinating,” Mr. Wayne mused. He then circled the room, took measurements, peered out of each window, circled the room again and sat down in the rocking chair. It stopped rocking. I gulped quietly. Mr. Wayne took his notebook from his jacket and began writing hurriedly. I waited.
After a considerable time, Mr. Wayne asked me to escort him to the roof. “The roof?” I asked. “Yes, Mr. Frank, the roof.” he repeated in his most patient voice. So, to the roof we went. I thrust open the trap door amidst cobwebs and sawdust and led the way to the rooftop. Here we stood for long moments. Mr. Wayne strolled to the very edge, peered over, scratched his head, walked the entire perimeter of the rooftop and jotted down some more notes. “What could he possibly find interesting enough to take notes on?” I wondered.
Finally, Mr. Wayne replaced his notebook inside his jacket pocket and told me to lead the way down. We returned to the lobby where Ms Davis was waiting for him.
“Thank you for your invaluable help. Mr. Frank,” he said, and motioned Ms Davis to return with him to her office. And off they went leaving me with a zillion questions and zero answers.
“Not my concern,” I cautioned myself. And I returned to the front desk to sign in a guest who was just entering the lobby.
But, of course, I kept glancing at Ms Davis’s office door, wondering what was transpiring behind it. I am unnerved by closed doors. They bring the most perplexing possibilities to my vivid imagination.
Several hours later the usual crowd began to filter in through the lobby and to who-knows-what-party, as always. My unfounded fear was that Mr. Wayne would exit Ms Davis’s office while these rag-a-tags were traipsing through the lobby and think poorly of our hotel. “Now, where did that come from?” I wondered. “You’d think it was my establishment and, of course, I’m just a grunt here. But, I do take pride in our hotel.”
I went off duty at 9 o’clock and still had not seen Mr. Wayne emerge from Ms Davis’s office. The suspense was killing me. “Oh, well,” I consoled myself, “Ms Davis will probably fill me in in the morning.
The next day was Friday and I went on duty at 1:00 o’clock, like always. The hotel was all abuzz with tenants, local merchants, and various Macedon residents in clusters around the lobby. Now, the Macedonia Hotel may not be the Ritz, but we do have a very large impressive lobby. “What’s going on,” I asked John, the Proprietor of Books, Etc. as I pinned on my name tag and glanced around the front desk to be certain everything was in place. John handed me the Macedon Post and there on the front page was a color photo of Mr. Wayne with a cover story that read:
MULTI-MILLIONAIRE PURCHASES MACEDONIA HOTEL
Mr. David Wayne (of the Wayne County Waynes) has purchased the Macedonia Hotel for $3.9M. Mr. Wayne states that he has had his eye on this hotel for several years and has exciting plans for its renovation. Several floors will be added to include such amenities as a heated Olympic size pool, an exercise room, a unisex hair salon, a 5-star restaurant, a Club Room and several well-appointed suites. “I will make the Macedonia a Grand Hotel in its own right,” said Mr. Wayne. Several surrounding buildings have also been purchased and will be replaced by a multi-level parking garage and a luxurious park surrounding the hotel.
The purchase goes hand-in-hand with a Casino that Mr. Wayne will build on Route 31 – just a short distance from the Hotel. The Wayne Complex will boast a world-class Water Park as an added incentive to patrons who wish to combine their Casino junket with family vacation. “Travel by highway, canal and a newly created air-strip will bring Casino patrons from all over New England at the very least,” is Mr. Wayne’s prediction.
When asked what will happen to the current residents of the Hotel, Mr. Wayne responded: “Well, of course, I have made provision for everyone who will be affected by my plans. I am presently negotiating with a local contractor to build affordable apartments on the Route 31 corridor near Macedon proper. No one will be displaced as a result of new ownership.”
Once refurbished, Mr. Wayne will reside at the Hotel in the Cupola Room Suite. He has expressed great interest in this particular part of the Hotel. Perhaps, he knows something the rest of us don’t?
It seems that Mr. Wayne has thought of everything. And Macedon will soon be a thriving city with ancillary businesses to support the Wayne complex of Hotel, Casino and Airstrip. These are indeed exciting times for Macedon, NY.
John watched as I read the article, a wide smile on his mischievous face. “What do you think of that, Frankie?” he chirped.
“Well, I’ll be,” I mused. “Who’d have thought that unimpressive man with his frayed coat and dusty shoes was a billionaire? His quiet ways and straightforward manner gave no clue to his place in society. As you’ve often said, John, you just can’t judge a book by its cover!”
Author Bio:
- A. Stahr was born in the Finger Lakes area, lived in various eastern USA locations and returned to our area in 2011 after her husband, Alan, passed away. Anne has three children and three granddaughters. Ms Stahr earned her B.S. at Columbia College and devoted more than 25 years to Human Resources Management. She is a Literacy Volunteer, gardener, avid reader and aspiring writer, as well as a valued member of the Wayne Writers Guild.
castahr@gmail.com>
Wayne Writers Guild
Meets at 7:30pm – 9:00pm, on the 2nd and 4th. Tuesday of each month
Books, Etc. of Macedon, NY
John Cieslinski, Owner
78 W. Main ST. Macedon NY 14502
Phone 585-474-4116